Edith (Bolling) Wilson (1872 - 1961)

Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during Edith's lifetime.

In 1872, in the year that Edith (Bolling) Wilson was born, on March 1st, Yellowstone National Park became the first national park in the U.S. and perhaps the world's first national park. Established by Congress and signed into law by President Grant, Yellowstone is one of the most spectacular areas in the U.S., filled with natural wonders and wildlife.

In 1907, Edith was 35 years old when the showman Florenz Ziegfeld introduced his Ziegfeld Follies. Ziegfeld was inspired by the Folies Bergère of Paris and the show was a step up from the then current vaudeville shows. The top entertainers of the time played in the Follies but the stars were the Ziegfeld girls - beautiful chorus girls in elaborate costumes. For almost a quarter of a century, the Ziegfeld follies were the toast of Broadway.

In 1916, at the age of 44 years old, Edith was alive when in June, the U.S. Congress authorized a plan to expand the armed forces over the next five years. Called the National Defense Act of 1916, the national law expanded the National Guard and Army (the Army added an aviation unit), created the Reserves, and gave the President expanded authority to federalize the National Guard. It also allowed the government to stockpile, in advance, materiel to be used in wartime.

In 1940, at the age of 68 years old, Edith was alive when in July, Billboard published its first Music Popularity Chart. Top recordings of the year were Tommy Dorsey's "I'll Never Smile Again" (vocal Frank Sinatra) - 12 weeks at the top, Bing Crosby's "Only Forever" - 9 weeks at the top, and Artie Shaw's "Frenesi" - 12 weeks at the top.

In 1961, in the year of Edith (Bolling) Wilson's passing, on August 13th, East Germany began erection of what would become the Berlin Wall between East and West Berlin. In one day, they installed barbed wire entanglements and fences (called Barbed Wire Sunday in Germany). On August 17th, the first concrete elements and large blocks were put in place.